PennElyz Droz shared with the AIVAN group about how she crafts clothing and art to connect her and her family to their Anishnaabe roots. PennElyz reflected that art and medicine keep her connected to her ancestors, provide her strength, and remind her what to carry on for her children. She also explained how practicing Native art, values, and storytelling all connects Indigenous peoples across regions with one another, and also helps us care for the environment.
The guest showed the cradleboard that she designed and made for her daughters. It has a design made of glass beads (called “little spirit seeds”) over black velvet, which is a tradition that evolved from originally embroidering dyed moose hair patterns onto black moosehide. The cradleboard helps to bring her babies into the world with a foundational connection to their two cultures: one side features clovers and flowers, symbolizing Droz’ own cultural-geographic roots, while the other side features desert plants, representing her husband’s cultural-geographic roots.
Overall PennElyz’ commitment to passing on Anishnaabe cultural ties to her children remains very important to her, as she expresses through other crafts as well. She shared with the AIVAN group the moose-hide moccasins she made for her sons. PennElyz crafted these knowing they will remind them of their mother’s love wherever they go. She lastly shared a large painting which features several Creation Story motifs, and helps to remind her children about their own cultural heritage stories. The AIVAN group was honored to see her beautiful artwork. They noticed some similarities across tribes in some motifs, but also valued seeing such different art designs and motifs, attributable to the wide-ranging climatic environments that the AIVAN group members come from.